http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Dalits-pay-the-price-for-supporting-BJP/articleshow/7206781.cms
Dalits pay the price for supporting BJP
Basavaraj F Kattimani, TNN, Jan 2, 2011, 11.07pm IST
HUBLI: Hundreds of innocent dalit families residing in Harijankere of
Antur-Bentur village of Gadag district were ostracized from the
village. All for supporting a BJP candidate in the just concluded
ZP/TP election.
Dalit families who spent a chilly night in a temple on the outskirts
of the village on Saturday night after being ostracized alleged that
their only fault was that they stood by the BJP candidate as he helped
develop the temple in Harijankere.
Gadag district minister C C Patil has said that he will hold talks
with the upper caste people to establish a favourable atmosphere in
Antur-Bentur village. Speaking to The Times of India, Patil said that
he also visited the village on Sunday evening to assess the situation.
However, the villagers were being treated as untouchables in the
village even before the polls. Now the ostracism has been given a
political twist. "We have been denied water, entry into temples and
hotels after the election. Finally, we were ostracized from village.
Besides, we were allegedly attacked on Friday night, forcing us to
leave the village," a member of the family rued.
"I will hold a meeting with the upper caste people in this village
tomorrow to bring the situation to normalcy and to establish conducive
atmosphere in the village," the minister assured.
Of the 11 GP members, 8 GP members including dalits joined BJP which
might have annoyed anti-social elements, minister Patil said. Without
mentioning Congress, he said that some youths who are miffed with
dalit families for supporting BJP have allegedly attacked them. As
dalit families sought protection, we deployed adequate police in the
village, Patil added.
He also promised to make alternate arrangements to supply ration to
the dalit families in the village since shops were closed due to the
tension in the village.
Left with no other options, more than 100 dalit families including
children, women and aged spent their night on the premises of temple
on Saturday night. They have lodged a complaint with the Gadag rural
police seeking action but in vain.
When the families were not allowed to enter the village on Sunday
morning too, they held a dharna near the temple demanding action
against those who ostracized them from the village. Police then rushed
to the village and convinced the dalits to go back to their houses.
Speaking to the Times of India, Chandru Hadimani, Kanakamma Sandimani,
Basavaraj Machhigudda and others said that some upper caste people
belonging to a particular party were waiting to take revenge against
them for their close association with the BJP candidate. "We
appreciated his help in helping us repair the temple," they echoed.
Untouchablity still prevails here from many years, they claimed.
Ravikumar Nayak, Gadag SP, said that dalit families have already
lodged a complaint. "After we promised them to look into the matter
and to take necessary action, they got back to their houses. We are
maintaing a vigil on unruly elements who try to disturb peace," he
added.
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